$27,760

453

OPENING NIGHT - A NEW VIDEO UPDATE ABOVE

The really exciting and unexpected result is that now we have the opportunity to FUND the ENTIRE PROJECT - THREE MORE MURALS!!!

WHAT is the MIGRATING MURAL?

The Migrating Mural is a series of murals that showcases--along major roads, towns, and cities--endangered migratory species and the need to protect them.

Each mural is a monument to these animals and reveals the habits and behaviors of hard-to-see wildlife.

Animal migrations are one of the most remarkable behaviors of the natural world, yet they often go unnoticed, even when they take place near centers of human civilization. The purpose of the Migrating Mural is to expose the public to endangered, elusive, and transient animals that otherwise go unseen. It highlights animal migration routes while beautifying human migration routes and catalyzes both wildlife conservation and public art.

Henry David Thoreau once said, “The traveler must be born again on the road, and earn a passport from the elements.” The Migrating Mural honors this difficult journey and the animals that endure it.

GAS - Independence, CA is far from San Francisco. Not only that, the nearest paint and art supply store is about an hour away

Accommodations for my assistant

Food - painting all day makes me hungry and while I love Top Ramen, I hope to have a more fortifying diet to keep me going for the next 4-6 weeks!

Every dollar counts and ALL funds over the goal will go towards the rest of the project!

CHAPTER ONE: Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep

Lamb and ewe

The Migrating Mural: Chapter One is a year-long project during which a series of FOUR murals about the life of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep will be painted along US Highway 395 to bring attention to this very special megafauna. The murals begin in Olancha, CA and end in Lee Vining, CA -- a distance of about 145 miles.

WHERE will the MURALS BE?

map courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Game

Below is the first site I will paint -- The Mt. Williamson Motel, Independence, CA

Mt. Williamson is not only a namesake for the motel, but also for the Mt. Williamson Herd Unit. With this mural, you can see the growth stages of a ram.

A distinct bighorn sub-species, thousands of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep once roamed California’s Eastern Sierra range. Today, with only 400 left, the animals are an endangered species. Because of the bighorns’ secrecy and harsh and inaccessible habitat, most people don’t know these majestic animals even exist. A series of beautiful yet scientifically accurate murals will promote public art, beautify the surrounding area and drive public support - the first and critical step for conservation!

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Hello! My name is Jane Kim. I am an artist, science illustrator and founder of INK-DWELL, a studio that creates art that inspires people to love, appreciate and protect the Earth, one work of art at a time. I am also the creator of the Migrating Mural.

My goal as an artist is to communicate information about our wonderfully fascinating natural world through visual art.

Our planet is home to incredible and wondrous life. I feel most excited, both visually and intellectually in nature. Combining that with my passion for art leaves me with unrefined excitement and sharing even a fraction of that with the rest of the world is the best gift that I know how to give.

Together we created a keychain/bottle opener with additive manufacturing (3D printing), a cutting edge process that brings the ability to produce products closer to the artist. In the future, this process will revolutionize how we make things locally, reducing energy and waste. Yay!!! The neck and the horn make for a very handy bottle opener.

For a $75 pledge, you can get a signed stainless steel, limited edition keychain.

For a pledge increase of $60, I'll include a signed stainless steel, limited edition keychain with your chosen reward.

Here are some pics of the design process. The drawing is an original created solely for this item and represents a Sierra bighorn ram.

Risks and challenges

A BRIEF TIMELINE of the PROJECT LOOKS LIKE THIS:

- Late October, 2012 I will begin painting the Mt. Williamson Motel.

- It will take about 4-6 weeks to complete.

- Over the winter, the weather will not allow me to paint and I'll use that time to create and send the rewards, establish a fourth site and continue to look for partners, collaborators and supporters.

I have three out of four sites established and I'm in the process of securing the fourth.

Once the murals have been painted, it is really important for the local community to develop programs around the murals for the project's longevity and effectiveness. One exciting event I can see forming around the murals is a bike race for the bighorns. Each mural could be the checkpoint.

THE MIGRATING MURAL MACRO PLAN LOOKS LIKE THIS:

The Migrating Mural is global in scope and scale. The idea is for the Migrating Mural to become a program for key environmental and public and private sectors to partner with. We’ll identify an animal, region and series of mural sites, then offer grants for artists to paint each one. The migration route of North Pacific Blue Whale, runs from Baja to Alaska, so a panel of judges would choose several artists to paint murals in towns and cities along this route.

We could do the whole thing with a $150,000 annual budget, create an annual competition, and turn it into a big win all around. The animals get attention, the locations gain beautiful art and a new economic driver and the financial partners get the tax deduction and a ton positive attention.

If you have any questions, thoughts and/or suggestions, I'd love to hear from you!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $60 or more
About $60

Limited edition hand screen printed Migrating Mural tote bag. Tote bags are made from 100% recycled cotton. Bring it with you on your own migration! Your name listed on the Partners page of the Migrating Mural website!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

8 x 10 open edition print featuring original Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep artwork plus your name printed on the Migrating Mural brochures/map which will be distributed at various locations along Highway 395. The informational brochures/map will be created upon completion of final mural (estimated project completion date is 09/2013).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

Signed 11 x 14 photo of the first finished mural. (estimated completion date is 12/2012). Your name printed on the Migrating Mural brochures/map which will be distributed at various locations along Highway 395. The informational brochures/map will be created upon completion of final mural (estimated project completion date is 09/2013).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

Your name dedicated on the first mural and an invitation to an “unveiling” picnic/reception - Spring 2013. Signed 11 x 14 photo print of the first finished mural (estimated completion date is 12/2012).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

A special two-day wilderness bighorn sheep tracking adventure with bighorn biologist, John Wehausen - Spring 2013. Signed 11 x 14 print of the finished mural (estimated completion date is 12/2012). Your name printed on the Migrating Mural brochures/map which will be distributed at various locations along Highway 395. The informational brochures/map will be created upon completion of final mural (estimated project completion date is 09/2013).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $750 or more
About $750

A very special hand-printed edition print featuring original Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. The edition will be printed by INK-DWELL at A Second Story in San Francisco, CA. An invitation to A Second Story for a print signing get together with wonderful people! Your name dedicated on the first mural AND the brochure/map!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

An original pen & ink drawing (8 x 10 inches) of YOUR PET...or favorite plant, animal or other creature. Check out the jaguar and white-lipped peccaries as examples of the drawing style. Your name dedicated on the first mural, brochure/map and an invitation to an “unveiling” picnic/reception - Spring 2013.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

Original painting, up to 3’ x 4’, by Jane Kim. Subject to be determined by Kim and donor. Check out "Leaps and Bounds" as example of a large-scale piece.
Your name dedicated on the first mural, brochure/map and an invitation to an “unveiling” picnic/reception - Spring 2013.